US stops arms sales to Philippines

It must have been a discovery for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that his actions do have consequences.

The US State Department halted the planned sale of some 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines’ national police after Senator Ben Cardin said he would oppose it, Reuters reported.

Aides said Cardin, the top Democrat on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was reluctant for the US to provide the weapons given concerns about human rights violations in the brutal “war against drugs” in the Philippines.

News of the thwarting of the weapons sale was met with disappointment among the Philippine police and government on November 1, but they said alternative suppliers would be found.

While the number of held-back guns is not a huge loss for the Philippines, it is clearly a sign the Obama administration is losing patience with the country’s current policy.

The relationship between the US and the Philippines, a long-time ally, has been complicated lately by Duterte’s angry reaction to criticism from Washington of his violent battle to rid the country of illegal drugs and his vulgar language.

Ronald dela Rosa, the Philippine national police chief and staunch supporter of the war on drugs, said he liked the US rifles, but suggested China as an alternative small-arms provider.

“We really wanted the U.S. rifles because these are reliable,” he told broadcaster ABS-CBN.

“But if the sale will not push through, we will find another source, maybe from China,” he added.

Duterte, on his part, told US President Barack Obama to “go to hell” for refusing to sell some weapons to his country and that he did not care because Russia and China were willing suppliers.

It must have been a discovery for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that his actions do have consequences.

The US State Department halted the planned sale of some 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines’ national police after Senator Ben Cardin said he would oppose it, Reuters reported.

Aides said Cardin, the top Democrat on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was reluctant for the US to provide the weapons given concerns about human rights violations in the brutal “war against drugs” in the Philippines.

News of the thwarting of the weapons sale was met with disappointment among the Philippine police and government on November 1, but they said alternative suppliers would be found.

While the number of held-back guns is not a huge loss for the Philippines, it is clearly a sign the Obama administration is losing patience with the country’s current policy.

The relationship between the US and the Philippines, a long-time ally, has been complicated lately by Duterte’s angry reaction to criticism from Washington of his violent battle to rid the country of illegal drugs and his vulgar language.

Ronald dela Rosa, the Philippine national police chief and staunch supporter of the war on drugs, said he liked the US rifles, but suggested China as an alternative small-arms provider.

“We really wanted the U.S. rifles because these are reliable,” he told broadcaster ABS-CBN.

“But if the sale will not push through, we will find another source, maybe from China,” he added.

Duterte, on his part, told US President Barack Obama to “go to hell” for refusing to sell some weapons to his country and that he did not care because Russia and China were willing suppliers.